Are they getting overly strict on DAS

[TCRAIG]

As others have written, it’s based on needs not diagnosis.
only mention needs that are related to waiting in line - for example, microcephaly and non- verbal don‘t relate to waiting in line.
using a stroller as a wheelchair is separate from DAS. Some children have only stroller as wheelchair. Some have that along with DAS.

one of her parents/guardians will need to do the DAS registration. The question they need to be ready to discuss is:
What are your concerns with waiting in the traditional (regular) lines? What about the lines causes issue for her?



For attractions without a height requirement and restraint, someone should be able to hold her on their lap. You could ask on the Family Board to see which ones parents hold children on. My youngest daughter has CP; when she was a toddler, we either held her on our laps for many rides or she sat between my husband and me, with one of us supporting her with an arm around her since she could not sit unsupported.

With using a stroller as a wheelchair, it will be able to be brought all the boarding area. If the boarding area and unload area are in different spots, CMs will move it from the loading area to the unload area. ALL shows have accessible spots that she would be able to use, but in some, she may sit too low in her stroller and might need to be held.

For attractions that have a wheelchair accessible vehicle, whether or not she will be able to use it will depend on the specific attraction/setup and her specific special needs stroller
MK attractions with wheelchair vehicles:
Magic Carpet - should fit, but she will be sitting in the rear spot of the carpet with other members of your party seated in front of her.
Jungle Cruise - should not be an issue, but be aware that she will get on using a lift and will be on a lift platform in the middle of the boat with the rest of your party out of reach
Small World - not an issue; the boat has a central ramp with seats on each side
Carrousel - it has several benches which guests can sit on. A bench space can also be folded up to make a mobility device space
Winnie the Pooh - should not be an issue. There is one spot for a mobility device with space for one companion to sit beside it. The ’hunny pots’ have bouncing and ’floating’ motion. The motions can be turned on or off for the wheelchair accessible one
Journey of the Little Mermaid - special needs stroller may sit too low to use the wheelchair car.
Buzz Lightyear - special needs stroller may sit too low

Thanks!

 

[SueM in MN]

Hollywood Studios attractions with wheelchair vehicle:
Toy Story Mania - wheelchairs need to be tied down with a securement system. A special needs stroller would need to be ‘transport ready’ with tie down loops (for example, to ride the bus to school). Even if it is transport ready, she may ride too low. This attraction also spins pretty quickly between the different games

EPCOT attractions with wheelchair vehicle:
Journey into Imagination with Figment - should be fine, if the stroller is really low, she may be too low
Living With the Land - not an issue. Has a wheelchair space at the back of a boat with space for one companion to sit next to it.
The Seas with Nemo and Friends - should not be an issue. One companion seat next to the wheelchair spot
Gran Fiesta Tour (Mexico) - the boat is pretty much the same as Small World
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure - wheelchairs need to be tied down with a securement system (same as Toy Story Mania and the buses). Even if her wheelchair is s transport ready, she may sit too low for the lap bar to be in the correct place

Animal Kingdom attractions with wheelchair vehicle:
Triceratops Spin - the vehicle is similar to Aladdin’s Magic Carpets. Child in stroller could possibly sit too low
Kilimanjaro Safari - wheelchairs need to be tied down with a securement system. If the stroller is very low, the child sitting in it might not see much. The wheelchair spot is in the first row with the rest of the party seated in benches to the side. The Safari can be very bumpy; it is themed to bumpy dirt roads on a reserve. Just how bumpy it is depends on which bumps the driver hits.
Rafiki’s Planet Watch - train that goes to the Planet Watch building has an accessible space

And, I forget the WDW RAILROAD AT MK has a wheelchair accessible spot that won’t be an issue. It was closed so long I forgot about it

 

[BroganMc]

FWIW when the DAS program initially began it was during the middle of my trip. I had a GAC and all the ride CMs were looking forward to the new program because they thought it would help people like me, with a very obvious physical disability needing special cars and assistance. They thought it would finally kick out the "fakers".

So when I went to GR to apply I was denied specifically because I was NOT autistic. That's what the GR CM told me. It was for autistic only. I challenged that and called for his supervisor. Then asked very loudly if I was being denied a disability pass because I had the "wrong" disability. That reset the conversation and I was approved.

I think it's just easier for some to focus on the challenges for the autistic when dealing with lines and crowds. They can become tone deaf to ask the other issues that make lines undoable for the disabled.

Also helped that I reported my experience to the same ride CMs who thought I'd have no problem and would be better helped. They had a meeting later with Guest Relations coordinators.

I think the ride CMs have a better understanding of the problems guests encounter going to an attraction and dealing with crowds. They want you to have a good time. They want you to be safe. And they want you to participate just like everybody else. But they also understand there are reasons why that becomes untenable.

Honestly I don't know how anybody can wait in the line for flight of passage. I'm glad it's not an accessible right for me.

The longest wait I ever endured and the biggest crowd was for Soarin back when it was new and extremely popular. I waited almost an hour in that line. I endured it but the experience taught me why it's not a good idea for me. I'm much better off outside waiting and coming in later.

 

[Lewisc]

Except you can't wait inside a QS restaurant at a table until you purchase food; that's what we witnessed last summer.

Waiting in lounge, enjoying an adult beverage, is better then waiting outside in the heat.


JMO, it wouldn't take much for DAS to be considered better then normal

 

[RoseGold]

Journey of the Little Mermaid - special needs stroller may sit too low to use the wheelchair car.

No idea there was a wheelchair car. This one makes me sad because we should have gone on this.

On the carousel a few months ago, there was def only one bench. We had to wait for the next round on an almost empty carousel. If you can carry her and hold her on a horse, you can go through the normal line. Lots of people carrying babies and such. You are allowed to stand beside the horse and hold up your kid.

 

[SueM in MN]

No idea there was a wheelchair car. This one makes me sad because we should have gone on this.

On the carousel a few months ago, there was def only one bench. We had to wait for the next round on an almost empty carousel. If you can carry her and hold her on a horse, you can go through the normal line. Lots of people carrying babies and such. You are allowed to stand beside the horse and hold up your kid.

You’re right about the carousel.
i was picturing my DH and myself sitting on different benches - forgetting that our daughter was sitting her wheelchair in the folded up between us. These pictures are the MK carousel bench.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

Waiting in lounge, enjoying an adult beverage, is better then waiting outside in the heat.


JMO, it wouldn't take much for DAS to be considered better then normal

You are not wrong, waiting for a return time waiting someplace comfortable is way better than standing in the hot sun moving an inch at a time.
What you seem to be missing is that most people would happily trade the “advantage” to not have to deal with whatever issue they have that requires the das.

 

[SueM in MN]

Waiting in lounge, enjoying an adult beverage, is better then waiting outside in the heat.


JMO, it wouldn't take much for DAS to be considered better then normal

Or, in our case with our daughter…
- waiting in line for the Companion Restroom
- giving medication
- resting with her after a seizure
- range of motion stretching
- trying to get her to eat or drink

we consider a long day in a park to be 4-5 hours and consider having done 3-4 attractions to be a good day and 5 days a very, very good day

 

[Lewisc]

You are not wrong, waiting for a return time waiting someplace comfortable is way better than standing in the hot sun moving an inch at a time.
What you seem to be missing is that most people would happily trade the “advantage” to not have to deal with whatever issue they have that requires the das.

Or, in our case with our daughter…
- waiting in line for the Companion Restroom
- giving medication
- resting with her after a seizure
- range of motion stretching
- trying to get her to eat or drink

we consider a long day in a park to be 4-5 hours and consider having done 3-4 attractions to be a good day and 5 days a very, very good day

Not missing anything. Never made points implied in quoted points.

I was wondering if Disney would ever spend the money to hire an outside firm to evaluate medical documentation.
Posters said not allowed since DAS doesn't offer an experience better then a regular guest.

My point is DAS is, or could be slightly modified, to make it clear it is enough better to justify actual verification.

 

[DisneyOma]

Not missing anything. Never made points implied in quoted points.

I was wondering if Disney would ever spend the money to hire an outside firm to evaluate medical documentation.
Posters said not allowed since DAS doesn't offer an experience better then a regular guest.

My point is DAS is, or could be slightly modified, to make it clear it is enough better to justify actual verification.

How would you factor the inflated wait times into the equation? People have been posting for quite awhile that the return times for DAS, based on the standby posted wait, is way off from the actual standby wait.

 

[Jellybean9]

How would you factor the inflated wait times into the equation? People have been posting for quite awhile that the return times for DAS, based on the standby posted wait, is way off from the actual standby wait.

There are plenty of instances when the quoted standby time is under inflated.

 

[TCRAIG]

Yeah - it’s an estimate - not a guarantee

 

[DisneyOma]

There are plenty of instances when the quoted standby time is under inflated.

I haven't seen that (or experienced that) but have seen/experienced 30-45 minute exaggerations of the wait times.

 

[Jellybean9]

I haven't seen that (or experienced that) but have seen/experienced 30-45 minute exaggerations of the wait times.

I have many times. Specifically on Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and at Red Carpet Dreams with Mickey & Minnie.

 

[Lewisc]

How would you factor the inflated wait times into the equation? People have been posting for quite awhile that the return times for DAS, based on the standby posted wait, is way off from the actual standby wait.

I didn't do a good job posting. I wonder if Disney would ever use a third party to evaluate medical information. Instead of I need DAS because I can't XXX it will be something like I have YYY condition which means I can't XXX. I'm sorry. The doctor you list has no record of ever seeing you.

A poster said, not sure if it's true, Disney couldn't do that unless the accommodation was better then a regular guest.

I said Disney could claim present DAS is better then a regular guest experience. OR make minor changes

There are numerous ways Disney could tweak DAS, if skipping waiting in line isn't sufficient.

 

[Matt'sMom]

deleting, as it is irrelevant.

 

[notatallmagic]

I know it's not going to happen...but - Disney CREATED the more recent extreme abuse of the DAS system by eliminating free FastPasses, and charging for Genie Plus and Lightning Lane. Now you have the scammers trying to avoid the cost of Genie/Lightning Lane by "claiming" a disability.

My DAS user was diagnosed right before Covid, and we had a couple of trips (albeit at reduced crowd levels) where our pre-selected FastPasses worked well for us to avoid some of the more intense waits.

No easy answers; but Cast Member training is critical here. We've encountered at Disney (not at Universal to date) MULTIPLE really horrible DAS Cast Members with attitudes and ignorance that exceeded the level of terrible found at the worst of the worst - and certainly not on par with a company whose brand and history has been focused on "magical" guess experiences. Making my kid cry when asking for a reasonable accommodation (after waiting almost a whole day on hold) so that she can experience something that we had already paid for...and the anxiety and shame produced by that - how is that ok?

Like any other system where abuse is rampant - the company that designs the systems SHOULD be the ones planning for ways to avoid/punish the abusers - and that doesn't include punishing the folks with a disability. Disney made this mess, and they are doing a crappy job of dealing with the consequences.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I've seen this suggested before...

Keep in mind that simple documentation of a medical diagnosis does not realistically indicate if an individual would need DAS, since people with the exact same condition/diagnosis can and do typically have very different symptoms and needs.

This! 1000x this. 2 people with the same diagnosis can have vastly different needs.

Also, requiring a doctor's note won't necessarily cut down on abuse. We've had doctors offer, unsolicited, to write us a note to "skip the lines" when they hear we go to Disney frequently. They don't understand how the system works or what is/ isn't required. I'm sure there are plenty of doctor's out there that would freely give a note if a patient or patient's parent asked for it, even if the patient didn't require the assistance.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I know it's not going to happen...but - Disney CREATED the more recent extreme abuse of the DAS system by eliminating free FastPasses, and charging for Genie Plus and Lightning Lane. Now you have the scammers trying to avoid the cost of Genie/Lightning Lane by "claiming" a disability.

My DAS user was diagnosed right before Covid, and we had a couple of trips (albeit at reduced crowd levels) where our pre-selected FastPasses worked well for us to avoid some of the more intense waits.

No easy answers; but Cast Member training is critical here. We've encountered at Disney (not at Universal to date) MULTIPLE really horrible DAS Cast Members with attitudes and ignorance that exceeded the level of terrible found at the worst of the worst - and certainly not on par with a company whose brand and history has been focused on "magical" guess experiences. Making my kid cry when asking for a reasonable accommodation (after waiting almost a whole day on hold) so that she can experience something that we had already paid for...and the anxiety and shame produced by that - how is that ok?

Like any other system where abuse is rampant - the company that designs the systems SHOULD be the ones planning for ways to avoid/punish the abusers - and that doesn't include punishing the folks with a disability. Disney made this mess, and they are doing a crappy job of dealing with the consequences.

Disney is looking for ways to avoid the abusers, and that’s apparently by becoming more strict about who receives a DAS.

 

[lpereira]

As with the old GAC problems arise with sheer numbers of people who use DAS as much as it is fakers.
When GAC was removed a Disney owned media company published the rich parents hiring wheelchair users story. It is as much the number of GAC holders who clogged the ride capacity. Bean counters were dispatched and discovered that at E tickets rides (Radiator Springs specifically) groups of the same riders were able to loop repeatedly while patrons in the standby line were kept at a near standstill.